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Club Triumph - Cars - TR7-8 - TR7 V8
TR7 V8

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Club Triumph forum - Cars - TR7-8 - TR7 V8 - TR7 V8 Rally Lookalike Project
< The Restoration of my DHC has started TR7 V8 Rally Lookalike Project Hot Feet! Hot Footwells... >
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"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016

Hi, I'm new on here but have owned my TR7 FHC since 1988. I had it converted to V8 by S&S in 1990. In about 1995 I decided to store the car as I didn't want to use it daily anymore and other stuff took precedent. The car was stored in a stripped down state ready for some welding but only recently have I started on the rebuild. I've taught myself to weld using the TR7! I'm a bit rough to be honest but can produce good solid welds now having got a feel of settings etc. I bought the welder about 10 years ago with the sole intention of using it on the TR7. It's a Clarke 135TE Turbo with gas and is excellent! Although I'm not! Anyway, I decided to do a Rally lookalike (not a replica) as it will be red underneath and under arches and in engine bay. Also the car had a webasto roof which I removed and made up a 3mm thick aluminium panel to fit the recess and will be wrapped in 4D carbon film for a bit of bling. So far I have done the bits of welding (back of floor pan, small sections of front floor pan, one front wheel arch) and I've cut off both rear arches and re-welded the inner to the outer. I've trial fitted the wider rear tarmac arches which will be filled with 10x13 Revolutions and 245/50/13 Avons. If my calculations are right, the -38ET offset should be just perfect to fill the arches. I have 7x13 for the front with 00ET offset. I can't wait to trial fit them! I've also stripped and painted all the back axle and suspension arms and these are now ready for reassembly with new ploy bushes. I've also got a pair of adjustable height coil overs for the rear which will complete the bling to the back end! The front inner wings and bulkhead are excellent and were rebuilt by S&S many years ago. Will try and get some pics up, but last night I could only load one pic at a time? On TR7Bobs DHC thread. Here goes!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 1 of 228

More pics
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 2 of 228

And more!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 3 of 228

And more
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 4 of 228

and more
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 5 of 228

And more
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 6 of 228

And more
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 7 of 228

And more. The areas underneath were wire brushed using a drill and then Bonda primered and now ready for stone chip guard to arches and then red Hammerite

Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 8 of 228

Rust eater applied, then Bonda primer than black Hammerite
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 9 of 228

Same with axle. Al parts wire brushed first!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 10 of 228

Same with fuel tank. Luckily was in good order!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 11 of 228

And the wheels!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 12 of 228

That's as far as I've got for now! Will post more when ready!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Beans"
posts: 5651
Netherlands
joined on Sun 5th Mar 2006
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 13 of 228

Good luck with the rebuild.

In this picture ...



... you can see that this plate sitting behind the LH exhaust bracket is still in place ...



If you haven't removed it yet, do so. They can trap moisture and dirt and sometimes hide some rust.
Use a screwdriver to lever it off.

... and nice wheels you have though a bit wide for my taste I am afraid  

1976 TR7 FHC (currently undergoing some TLC ...)
1980 TR7 DHC (a.k.a. Kermette, my first car bought in 1988 )
1981 TR7 FHC (Sprint engined, a.k.a. 't Kreng)
http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Benzo"
posts: 265
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 14 of 228

Great work, need those revolutions in my life!!

Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 15 of 228

Thanks Beans and Benzo. Thanks for the advice on the plate. I've actually used your blog as inspiration (I came across it while searching for rebuilt TR7s on the net), but mine will never be on a par with your cars I'm afraid. My welding is too rough! I suppose it will only be used for weekend fun and won't cover a great deal of miles annually so hopefully it will stay in good order.

Benzo, those Revolutions are stunning. I think they look better than the Minilites and these were the only 10" wide rims you can get in 13" diameter. I worked out that the widest offset they do, -38, is just right for the tarmac arches so should look cool! I ordered the wheels before the tyres and then started panicking when I could only find 'race only' tyres in 250mm wide! Luckily I came across the Avons! The only road legal tyres that will fit and these are only just wide enough (245)! Will be a slightly stretched fit! When the axle is back on I'll post up some pics. I've also got a pair of coil overs from Hamiltons so the back end should be complete soon! Cheers, Paul.

Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Wed 16th Mar 2016 reply 16 of 228

It was seeing the legendary Tony Pond, in the just as legendary TR7V8 winning the 1980 Manx rally in this video that made my mind up on creating a lookalike (and soundalike!). The later Tarmac cars with the mega wide arches were the jewels in the late 70s crown of rallying. I knew I had the ingredients in my garage, just needed to get at it! When Tony mentioned '11" rears', I just had to get the right wheels and tyres for the back. Unfortunatley 10" is the nearest I could get! I do wonder if he was talking in terms of tyres rather than the wheel? That would equate to a 275 tyre! I'm 30mm off!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T1mkj9uiqw
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Benzo"
posts: 265
non member
 posted Thu 17th Mar 2016 reply 17 of 228

Quoted from Fony Pond
Thanks Beans and Benzo. Thanks for the advice on the plate. I've actually used your blog as inspiration (I came across it while searching for rebuilt TR7s on the net), but mine will never be on a par with your cars I'm afraid. My welding is too rough! I suppose it will only be used for weekend fun and won't cover a great deal of miles annually so hopefully it will stay in good order.

Benzo, those Revolutions are stunning. I think they look better than the Minilites and these were the only 10" wide rims you can get in 13" diameter. I worked out that the widest offset they do, -38, is just right for the tarmac arches so should look cool! I ordered the wheels before the tyres and then started panicking when I could only find 'race only' tyres in 250mm wide! Luckily I came across the Avons! The only road legal tyres that will fit and these are only just wide enough (245)! Will be a slightly stretched fit! When the axle is back on I'll post up some pics. I've also got a pair of coil overs from Hamiltons so the back end should be complete soon! Cheers, Paul.


I'm planning to get these wheels as my 3rd set. I had to search Ebay for ages to get my 10inch Compomotives because comp have stopped neg. offset since their closure last year.

-38 will be too  wide I fear, especially with the rear drum setup

In 245 your options will be Kumho, Avon CR500 or ACB10 but all road legal track tyres.

If hang the axle soon if you can to see. 0's on 7" will work dead on in the front
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Thu 17th Mar 2016 reply 18 of 228

Quoted from Benzo


I'm planning to get these wheels as my 3rd set. I had to search Ebay for ages to get my 10inch Compomotives because comp have stopped neg. offset since their closure last year.

-38 will be too  wide I fear, especially with the rear drum setup

In 245 your options will be Kumho, Avon CR500 or ACB10 but all road legal track tyres.

If hang the axle soon if you can to see. 0's on 7" will work dead on in the front




Ooh I hope they do fit ok. I actually took a lot of measurements and did a scaled drawing of the section through the rear hub an arch and with -38 I still had a few mm to play with. The fronts showed as being well in. I will try them on as soon as the axle is back on and post up some pics. I've got the tyres fitted now so ready to trial once axle is on PS I didn't see any 245 Khumos only 235 and I think Avon have replaced the CR500 with the ZZR that I've got.
I suppose if they are a few mm too wide for the arches, I can always fit an extra arch lip or space them off the body?

Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Benzo"
posts: 265
non member
 posted Thu 17th Mar 2016 reply 19 of 228

Your actually right, I don't know why I was thinking that the drums add any width to the axle.

They should be absolutely bang on, get them fitted up to show us.

Love the classic look of revolutions on them, will look great with that stagger!

Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
"Fony Pond"
posts: 194
non member
 posted Thu 17th Mar 2016 reply 20 of 228

Quoted from Benzo
Your actually right, I don't know why I was thinking that the drums add any width to the axle.

They should be absolutely bang on, get them fitted up to show us.

Love the classic look of revolutions on them, will look great with that stagger!



Yes the car should look as mean as hell! and sound it too! Seeing the later tarmac spec rally cars of the 79 and 80 era made me think of the old Porsche 911 Turbo which also had mega wide rear arches and track. Watching that video of the 1980 Manx rally really shows off the width of that back end! In the meantime here's a pic of my wheels with tyres fitted! The rears are actually ZZS not ZZR. The fronts I've skimped a bit on as I went for Nankang NS2R semi-slick trackday tyres in 185/60/13. Only £120 for the pair!and good reviews from the Subaru fraternity! Pity they don't do 245s as well. I would have stretched to a pair of ZZS but the sizes for the front were a bit odd for the TR7 - 185/55/13 or 205/55/13. I wanted that slightly stretched look too to match the rears so wanted 185s, but not in 55 profile. Even 60s are too low. As it turns out the 245s are a nice fit, not stretched at all! Strangely, the 185s seem to drown the 7" fronts! When you measure the tyre widths when fitted, the backs measure 285mm side to side and the fronts 205!
Tags - TR7 TR7 Sprint TR7 V8 TR8
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